Go Back   Professional Soldiers ® > And Some Gave All.... > In Memory Of

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old 01-25-2004, 18:14   #1
Martinez
The Team Sergeants Little Sister
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: NC
Posts: 138
SFC. Nathan R. Chapman

http://www.detnews.com/2002/nation/0...a01-383450.htm

Parents praise son's Army life
Military veteran is first U.S. soldierkilled by enemy fire

By Natalie Gott / Associated Press
6 Jan 2002

GEORGETOWN, Texas - Sitting beside a framed photo of their son, Sgt. 1st Class Nathan Ross Chapman, the parents of the first U.S. soldier killed by enemy fire in Afghanistan fought back tears Saturday as they recalled his Army career.

Will and Lynn Chapman said the 31-year-old Green Beret communications specialist had served in Panama, Haiti, Operation Desert Storm and then Afghanistan. "The Army took to him and he took to the Army. It was a good match up until yesterday," Will Chapman said. "I think he was a better person for going into the Army and the Army was a better place."

On Friday, Chapman had been part of a U.S. team operating near the Afghan town of Khost, a few miles from the Pakistan border, military officials said. Officials said Chapman and a CIA officer had met local tribal leaders in Afghanistan's Paktia province, near where U.S. warplanes had struck several al-Qaida and Taliban targets in the past few weeks. After they left the meeting, the Americans were ambushed.

Chapman was killed by small-arms fire. The CIA officer was wounded but expected to survive. "We mourn for Sergeant Nathan Chapman and we pray with his family for God's blessings on them," President Bush said Saturday during a news conference in Ontario, Calif. "He lost his life for a cause that is just and important. And that cause is the security of the American people, and that cause is the cause of freedom and a civilized world."

At Fort Lewis, Wash., where Chapman had been based, former colleagues praised him for his commitment to the Army and his dynamic personality. "He was always the go-to person for people on other teams," said Capt. Edwin D. Hoenig, one of several colleagues who spoke Saturday at the base, about 30 miles south of Seattle. "He was a very charismatic person. People loved working with him and he loved working with soldiers."

Chapman was born on April 23, 1970, at Andrews Air Force Base, Md. He joined the Army after his 1988 graduation from high school in Centerville, Ohio. "He did so well in his career. We were just amazed. He was my little boy," his mother said Saturday, wiping away tears during an interview in her Sun City home, about 25 miles north of Austin.

Lynn Chapman said her son was a loving husband and father. The couple said they planned to travel to Seattle today to be with Chapman's widow, Renae, and children, Amanda, 2, and Brandon, 1. Army officials said Chapman's wife would not be speaking to reporters Saturday.

Chapman served most of his military career at Fort Lewis. Since the war in Afghanistan began, he had been assigned to the 5th Special Forces Group at Fort Campbell, Ky., said Maj. Gary Kolb, a spokesman for Army Special Operations Command at Fort Bragg, N.C.

His parents said he parachuted into Panama during the U.S. invasion of that country and served in Desert Storm and Haiti. He attended Special Forces school at Fort Bragg, they said. The Army's Special Forces have been advising, arming, training and coordinating with local Afghan forces since the military campaign began Oct. 7. Chapman dealt primarily with long-range communications and electronic equipment and had weapons' training.

"Nate Chapman was dynamic, outgoing and a physically hard soldier. He is known by his team for his great sense of humor," said Col. David P. Fridovich, his group commander.

Chapman's remains were to be flown to a base in Germany, where officials said they would arrange transportation back to Fort Lewis, likely by midweek. Funeral details were not finalized Saturday. Before Friday, the only U.S. military members killed inside Afghanistan were three Green Berets mistakenly hit last month by a U.S. airstrike north of Kandahar. In October, two Army Rangers were killed when their Black Hawk helicopter crashed in Pakistan. A CIA operative, Johnny "Mike" Spann, was killed Nov. 25 in an uprising of Taliban prisoners in Afghanistan.
---
More:
http://www.quietpros.com/Afgan/chapm..._ross_5sfg.htm
http://www.groups.sfahq.com/1st/chap...id_to_rest.htm
Attached Images
File Type: jpg sfcnatechapman.jpg (14.8 KB, 251 views)
__________________
How do you do? My name is Trouble
I'm coming in for the kill...
And you know I will
Martinez is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2004, 18:22   #2
The Reaper
Quiet Professional
 
The Reaper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,797
RIP, SFC Chapman.

Sorry, Jen, I missed that one. Thanks.

TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
The Reaper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2004, 18:27   #3
Team Sergeant
Quiet Professional
 
Team Sergeant's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Posts: 20,929
RIP Nate.


Thanks Jen.
Team Sergeant is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-25-2004, 20:17   #4
Doc
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
RIP

DOL
  Reply With Quote
Old 02-02-2004, 13:33   #5
CPTAUSRET
Gun Pilot
 
CPTAUSRET's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Iowa and New Mexico
Posts: 2,143
He looks so young:

Blue skies:

Rest In Peace:

Terry
__________________
E7-CW3-direct commission VN
B model gunship pilot 65-66 Soc Trang, Cobra Pilot 68-69-70 Can Tho Life member 101st Airborne Association
CPTAUSRET is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2005, 10:56   #6
EarthPig2/75
Asset
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 22
Chapman Hall

I received this photo this morning from a Brother who is over seas. This sign hangs at Camp Vance, Bagram Air Field, Afghanistan. It was good to see that my friend is not forgotten. I don't know how many of you had the honor to serve with Nate, but I will tell you that he was a good dude, a great friend, and one of the best warriors I ever had the privilege to serve with. Nate was in my squad in 2nd Ranger Battalion.

We were close during my stay there, but for some reason, we lost contact with each other after I had been out for a few years. I tracked down his parents, shortly after his death. They live a few hours from here. Unfortunately, they were not home when I dropped by, but I left a package of old squad photos and a lengthy letter on their doorstep. I received a very touching call from his dad when he found it. I hope to get back over there and meet them in person someday. Strange how a simple picture of a sign can bring the tears back so quickly. Rest Easy, Brother. You are not forgotten.

RLTW
EP

PS: Thanks to Team Sarnt for the photo assist!
Attached Images
File Type: jpg ChapmanHall2.jpg (49.0 KB, 230 views)
__________________
3rd Plt (EarthPigs), A Co., 2/75 Ranger, '88-'89
EarthPig2/75 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2005, 11:17   #7
The Reaper
Quiet Professional
 
The Reaper's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland
Posts: 24,797
RIP, Nate.

Good job, EP!

TR
__________________
"It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat." - President Theodore Roosevelt, 1910

De Oppresso Liber 01/20/2025
The Reaper is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2005, 11:25   #8
NousDefionsDoc
Quiet Professional
 
NousDefionsDoc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: LA
Posts: 1,653
RIP Nate. I'm glad they remembered him.
__________________
Somewhere a True Believer is training to kill you. He is training with minimal food or water, in austere conditions, training day and night. The only thing clean on him is his weapon and he made his web gear. He doesn't worry about what workout to do - his ruck weighs what it weighs, his runs end when the enemy stops chasing him. This True Believer is not concerned about 'how hard it is;' he knows either he wins or dies. He doesn't go home at 17:00, he is home.
He knows only The Cause.

Still want to quit?
NousDefionsDoc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2005, 13:54   #9
Roguish Lawyer
Consigliere
 
Roguish Lawyer's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Free Pineland (at last)
Posts: 8,806
RIP.
Roguish Lawyer is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2005, 19:45   #10
Doc
Quiet Professional
 
Doc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Ohio
Posts: 982
I was just thinking of the video he sent home to his kids the other day. He's not forgotten.

RIP Nate.

Doc
Doc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-15-2005, 20:20   #11
Ambush Master
Quiet Professional
 
Ambush Master's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: DFW Texas Area
Posts: 4,741
RIP Nate.
__________________
Martin sends.
Ambush Master is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2005, 03:29   #12
brownapple
Guest
 
Posts: n/a
SFA Chapter 3 is the Erawan/Nate Chapman Memorial Chapter.

Never forget.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2005, 06:02   #13
BMT (RIP)
Quiet Professional
 
BMT (RIP)'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Red State
Posts: 3,774
Chapman Hall

RIP Nate.

A MAN IS NOT DEAD UNTIL HE IS FORGOTTEN!!!

BMT
__________________
Don't mess with old farts...age and treachery will always overcome youth and skill! Bullshit and brilliance only come with age and experience.
BMT (RIP) is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2005, 06:03   #14
EarthPig2/75
Asset
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Location: Texas
Posts: 22
Being out of the SF loop, I wasn't aware of all the memorials in his honor. I spent several hours yesterday going through some of the online ones. It's good to see that he is still part of the community. There are sure some good men gathered at the Big Rally Point. Thanks for all the comments.
RLTW
EP
__________________
3rd Plt (EarthPigs), A Co., 2/75 Ranger, '88-'89
EarthPig2/75 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-16-2005, 07:29   #15
Go For Broke
Quiet Professional
 
Go For Broke's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: HI
Posts: 242
Some of the history behind that building is that some pax from 3/1 were assigned to Camp Vance, BAF, AF. While there, they asked the CJSOTF-A Commander if they could name it after SFC Nathan R. Chapman. He approved, and for the next year or so it was occupied by 3/1 personnel.
There is also a camp located in Afghanistan named for him, in the province where he was killed.
If you are ever back out to Ft Lewis, stop by the 1st Group compound. They named the road in front of the HQ after him and make sure to stop by C/3-1's building...there is a small memorial dedicated to Nate there in the company hallway.

Also, back in May of 2004, the CJSOTF-A formally dedicated Camp Vance IHO SGT Gene A. Vance, 2/19 SFG(A), and conducted the final roll call for all SOF KIA in Afghanistan. None are forgotten.

requiescat in pace

V/R,
Go For Broke is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump



All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:11.



Copyright 2004-2022 by Professional Soldiers ®
Site Designed, Maintained, & Hosted by Hilliker Technologies